Muslim Brotherhood Controversy
On June 13, 2012, Gohmert was one of five members of Congress (including Michele Bachmann, Trent Franks, Tom Rooney, Lynn Westmoreland) to send letters to the Inspectors General of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the Department of State seeking investigations into the U.S. government’s involvement with the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group that calls for “civilization jihad” against America.
One of the letters in particular to Ambassador Harold W. Geisel, the Deputy Inspector General of the United States Department of State, used the Department's Deputy Chief of Staff, Huma Abedin, as an example of the undue influence. The letter said that Abedin "has three family members–her late father, her mother and her brother–connected to Muslim Brotherhood operatives and/or organizations," referring to a study by the Center for Security Policy.
Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and Scott Brown, as well as Bachmann's former campaign chief Ed Rollins defended Abedin against these allegations. Speaker of the House John Boehner told reporters: "I don't know Huma. But from everything that I do know of her, she has a sterling character, and I think accusations like this being thrown around are pretty dangerous." Congressman Mike Simpson condemned the letter as a revival of McCarthyism, telling the Idaho Statesman: "Unfortunately, it's not just Michele. The public says, 'There go those Republicans again.' It's a bad reflection on all Republicans. I can't believe the other four members she got to sign the letter with her. Amazing... That doesn't reflect the House Republican Caucus."
In an editorial on the website Politico Newt Gingrich made a case for investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood, characterizing Gohmert and the rest as the "National Security Five." Columnist Cal Thomas shrugged off the specter of McCarthyism, and said that the real possibility of infiltration by Islamic extremists deserves to be investigated.
The five members of Congress boast a prominent, bi-partisan list of supporters who have written letters to Speaker Boehner backing the requested investigations by the Inspectors General into Muslim Brotherhood influence inside U.S. government agencies. The letters' signatories include former CIA Director James Woolsey, Former Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Harry E. Soyster and Former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese.
Responding to her critics, Bachman said that "The concerns I have and my colleagues have are real," and "We cannot elevate political correctness over national security." Rooney expressed similar concerns: "As a member of the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees, my top priority is ensuring the security of our nation." And that "I regret that Mrs. Abedin has become the media focus of this story, because the intention of the letters was to bring greater attention to the legitimate national security risk."
Read more about this topic: Louie Gohmert
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